Even queens need a little pampering now and then and Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth is no exception.
The 24-year-old vessel, which underwent refurbishments in 2014 and 2018, is ready for her new makeover ahead of two milestones: her first-ever dedicated Caribbean season sailing from Miami and her debut in Alaska from Seattle.
“This transformation marks an exciting new chapter for Cunard,”said the cruise line’s President, Katie McAlister.“Inspired by the beauty of these extraordinary destinations, the ship’s revitalization will seamlessly blend timeless elegance with modern comforts, creating an unparalleled guest experience.”
Queen Elizabeth’s refurbishment will focus on refreshing both interior and exterior spaces, including guest favorites like the Commodore Club, Queens Room, Garden Lounge, and The Pavilion.
A centerpiece of the upgrades will be the revitalization of the Grills experience, Cunard’s signature luxury offerings. Guests staying in Grills suites will see new furnishings and elevated dining options.
These include a new Gala Evening menu developed by Michelin-starred Chef Michel Roux, of The Waterside Inn in Bray, England. The three-course menu highlights seasonal ingredients and is exclusive to Grills guests.
The ship will also introduce The Pavilion Wellness Café, which made its debut on Cunard’s newest ship, the 113,000-gross-ton Queen Anne, earlier in 2024. The new café focuses on plant-based cuisine alongside sustainably sourced meats and seafood.
Wellness programming will include the Harper’s Bazaar Wellness at Sea, in partnership with Harper’s Bazaar magazine. This program, which also debuted on Queen Anne, will provide three-day packages tailored to relaxation, recovery, or energy restoration.
From Sydney to Seattle to St. Lucia
The 2,000-guest Queen Elizabeth is currently enjoying a summer season homeported in Sydney and sailing a number of short roundtrip cruises to Tasmania and longer South Pacific itineraries to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Fiji, as well as several Australian ports.
Her final voyage before her makeover will be a 14-night repositioning cruise to Singapore, on February 11, 2025, where the vessel will enter dry dock at Seatrium’s Admiralty Yard from February 25 to March 13, 2025.
Cunard Line Queen Elizabeth (Photo Credit: City of Port Lincoln)
Following the upgrades, the 90,900-gross-ton Queen Elizabeth will spend a spring in Asia, sailing to South Korea and multiple locations in Japan, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, from her homeport in Yokohama.
After a transpacific journey from Yokohama, the ship will make her first appearance in Alaska, enjoying a summer season with 10- and 11-night roundtrip itineraries from Seattle beginning on June 23, 2025.
During this deployment, the vessel will visit the popular ports of Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau, and Sitka, with scenic visits to Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier.
In September 2025, the ship will transition to warmer waters, sailing to Miami for its first season in the Caribbean. But first, Queen Elizabeth will travel along the coast of California and Mexico and pass through the Panama Canal.
From Miami, the ship will offer 9- to 28-night voyages in the Caribbean, island hopping to destinations in Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Belize, and Mexico.
Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to stay in the Caribbean through March 2027. News of the refurbishment may help propel Cunard Line into even more record-breaking bookings in 2025.
As P&O Cruises faces a lawsuit from former passengers who claim its cleaning practices aren’t up to par, it looks like it has another outbreak affecting passengers on a cruise off the coast of Northern France near the Channel Islands.
Passengers currently sailing on the cruise line’s 3,200-passenger Ventura on December 4, 2024, claim there is a gastroenteritis outbreak aboard the ship.
The 116,017-gross-ton vessel, which departed Southampton, England, on November 23, 2024, is returning from a 12-night roundtrip voyage to the Canary Islands on December 5, but not before a passenger leaked news of the outbreak to an English media outlet.
According to The Echo, a passenger claims the ship’s crew made an announcement to passengers, advising them not to gather in large groups and to stay in their cabins if they felt ill.
The unnamed passenger said the crew admitted the reason behind the notice is an outbreak of gastroenteritis or norovirus, which, according to the Centers for Disease and Control, is a condition that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
This stomach bug leads to unpleasant side effects, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and sometime fever.
The cause of gastroenteritis is an infection from bacteria, which can often be found in contaminated food or water.
A P&O Spokesperson told The Echo,“We work closely with relevant global and regional health authorities, and we have recognized and proven protocols that are in place throughout every cruise to uphold the health and wellbeing of all guests and crew onboard.”
Standard protocols for cruise ships generally involve increasing the cleaning frequency in high-traffic public areas, isolating affected passengers, onboard announcements to encourage good hygiene and prompt reporting of symptoms, and modifying buffets to being crew-served to help avoid the spread of bacteria.
Cruise ships also perform deep cleanings between voyages to avoid the spread of an outbreak to the next group of passengers.
In fact, a guest expecting to sail on Ventura’s next voyage to the Canary Islands on December 5, shared word that the ship pushed back its departure time by two hours in order to conduct a deep clean of the vessel.
She did not indicate if the crew shared the gastroenteritis outbreak.
Reoccurring Outbreaks on Ventura
P&O Ventura Docked in Southampton (Photo Credit: Sail Away Media)
Unfortunately, this outbreak aboard the Ventura comes on the heels of a recent lawsuit on behalf of P&O Cruises against Carnival Corporation, its parent company.
On November 15, 2024, 115 passengers alleged cruise line negligence following multiple norovirus outbreaks aboard the Ventura in the beginning of 2024.
The plaintiffs claim inadequate sanitation measures contributed to the spread of the highly contagious virus, which impacted hundreds of passengers over several sailings between April and June.
One significant outbreak occurred during a voyage departing from Southampton on May 11, 2024, affecting over 500 passengers.
According to the lawsuit, guests felt P&O Cruises implemented insufficient cleaning measures during the outbreaks and provided poor communication.
Passengers also alleged they were left to manage their symptoms without proper support from the crew, with some claiming they were not notified of health risks before boarding following voyages where outbreaks occurred and subsequently continued.
Effective in 2025, cruisers headed to the stunning Greek Isles will pay a fee to visit the islands of Santorini and Mykonos, and other destinations in the country, now that the Greek Parliament has officially approved a proposed tax measure.
The per-person tax to call at the two popular islands will be 20 euros ($21 USD) and 5 euros ($5.27 USD) at other destinations in Greece, such as Rhodes, Corfu, and Crete.
The funds, combined with a new short-term rental and hotel tax, will go toward addressing the country’s climate change and over-tourism issues.
Between the new cruise and land levies, Greece aims to raise about 400 million euros ($421 million USD), according to media reports.
In 2024, Greece predicted it would host more than 8 million cruise passengers, a spike of 20% versus the previous year. Santorini and Mykonos have welcomed record numbers of cruise vacationers — 1.3 million to Santorini in 2023.
On some days, close to 17,000 cruise guests descend on the tiny island, home to just 15,500 residents, snarling traffic and pedestrian areas, and overwhelming the local infrastructure.
On Mykonos, local media reports indicate that the island hosted eight cruise ships and 20,000 passengers on one day in August 2024. The island has a population of just 12,000, and limited tourism resources.
Greek officials first raised the idea of levying arrivals fees in September 2024. At the time, they indicated that funds raised from the taxes would be invested to improve infrastructure and sustainability efforts in the various destinations.
They also proposed a digital berth allocation system to manage the daily arrivals of cruise ships based on size, length of stay, and other factors. However, there is no indication that the parliament has taken up that measure yet.
For land travelers, starting in 2025, the daily tax on short-term rentals during the April to October high season will rise to 8 euros ($8.41), while the daily hotel tax will be up to 15 euros ($16 USD), depending on the property.
Other Destinations Addressing Over-Tourism, Too
Greece is just one destination among several that are trying to boost local and national revenues by charging cruise arrival fees.
Mexico has proposed charging a $42 per person immigration fee on tourism arrivals, effective in 2025. The idea has prompted concern by cruise lines, which would almost certainly pass the fee on to guests, raising cruise fares.
Ports in Mexico are key destinations on Western Caribbean cruises. In Cozumel alone, more than 3 million cruise guests visited the port in 2023. The fee proposal prompted the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association to contact Mexican officials, asking that cruise guests be exempt from the levy.
Cruise Ships Calling at Santorini, Greece (Photo Credit: Ole Dor)
The association reached out on behalf of major cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line, all of which visit multiple Mexican ports and already have many completed bookings for 2025 and 2026.
Small ports also have jumped on the cruise tax bandwagon.
In tiny Haines, Alaska, town government officials recently voted to implement a $9 fee on each cruise guest arrival. The tax took effect in October 2024, but since the Alaska season was virtually over, the charge will not impact cruisers until the 2025 summer season.
The fee will be charged to guests on ships that dock at the port or that anchor in the harbor. The Haines tax will go toward addressing the impacts that cruise ships and cruise passengers have on local services and infrastructure.
The tax also will increase over the years, rising to $12 in 2027 and $13 in 2029.
Just days before the first impacted sailing, Princess Cruises has reached out to booked guests on four upcoming voyages aboard Regal Princess about dramatically altered itineraries.
The affected sailings are the ship’s December 8, January 5, January 12, and January 19 departure dates. These are an 8-night, two 7-night, and a 10-night itinerary, respectively, all with Western Caribbean routes.
The first three cruises have now cancelled the planned visits to Costa Maya, and instead Regal Princess will remain in Roatan, Honduras for an extended overnight stay. On the January 19 sailing, the planned visit to Montego Bay, Jamaica is now cancelled and the overnight in Roatan is replacing that visit.
“[This adjustment] to four upcoming Regal Princess itineraries [is] to accommodate essential engine maintenance while ensuring the continued safety, performance, and comfort of the ship,”Princess Cruises explained in a statement.
“These adjustments will allow additional time in port to complete necessary maintenance while preserving the seamless sailing experience that guests have come to expect from Princess Cruises.”
The nature of the “essential engine maintenance” has not been disclosed, but it should be noted that other itineraries during this time period are not being changed. The ship’s December 16, December 22, and December 29 departures are not yet adjusted, though such changes could be forthcoming.
This new round of adjustments and maintenance follows three cancelled cruises at the end of October through mid-November. A small engine room fire occurred during Regal Princess‘s transatlantic crossing as she repositioned after her European season, followed by additional engine difficulties that required the ship to be removed from service for repairs.
It is not known whether this new “essential maintenance” is related to the recent repairs, or if it is a different issue impacting the ship’s operation.
Princess Cruises has made a rather unique adjustment to onboard activities for guests to enjoy their overnight visit to Roatan.
“To enhance the extended visit in Roatán, the onboard casino will remain open during the overnight stay, offering guests gaming fun while docked,”the cruise line stated.“Guests can enjoy the thrill of the casino even as the ship rests in port, adding to the excitement of their vacation.”
The 142,714-gross-ton, Royal class Regal Princess has served Princess Cruises for a decade, as the ship debuted in 2014. She can welcome 3,560 travelers aboard each sailing, and is also home to approximately 1,300 international crew members.
The ship is currently homeported from Galveston, Texas, offering a diverse selection of Western Caribbean itineraries. Depending on the departure date and cruise length, Regal Princess calls on top ports such as Cozumel, Belize City, and Grand Cayman.
Compensation Offered
Because of the extent of the itinerary changes, as well as the late notice, Princess Cruises is offering booked guests the option for a full refund. This includes full refunds for any pre-purchased shore tours or air travel arranged through the cruise line.
Of course, shore tours booked through Princess Cruises for the now-cancelled visits to Costa Maya or Montego Bay will also be refunded whether or not passengers opt to cancel their vacation or still set sail.
If guests do want to continue with the sailing and enjoy their time aboard Regal Princess, they will receive a 20% future cruise credit (FCC) that can be used for a future sailing on any Princess Cruises ship from any homeport.
Lucy Southerton is an expert on all things cruising. As a crew member for around 10 years, she learned a lot working as a massage therapist, shopping ambassador, and cosmetic consultant and perfumer across mainstream brands like Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean, and Disney Cruise Line.
Along the way, she started her blog and YouTube channel, called Cruising As Crew, where she candidly shares about her experiences onboard and offers tips for future and current crew members.
But just like all crew members, Southerton had a lot to learn when she first started her career at sea – and a video of the influencer talking about how she accidentally discovered the hidden meaning behind cruisers who don upside down pineapples has recently resurfaced.
For context, Upside down pineapples are a common symbol to indicate that a couple is open to swinging or “wife swapping” – which is the practice of switching partners for a sexual encounter.
At the time, Southerton was working as a massage therapist in the onboard spa and was trying to make conversation with two guests that had come in for a couple’s massage.
She noticed they both wore the same upside-down pineapple necklaces, so she innocently asked what the jewelry meant – expecting to hear that it was something meaningful or sentimental for their relationship.
“They were both wearing silver pineapple or upside down pineapple necklaces, but they were very tasteful,” Southerton said in the video, which has been viewed nearly 906,000 times on YouTube.
“Oh, I love your necklaces. I think it’s so cute that you’re both wearing matching necklaces… But why the pineapple? What does that represent to you in your relationship?,”she recounted.
Naturally, the crew member was mortified when the couple burst out laughing and informed her that they were swingers and this is how other swingers could identify them – but she still shared her story to help save other crew members from making the same embarrassing mistake.
At the same time, she also warned that it’s never smart to assume – as passengers wearing pineapple jewelry might just simply like pineapples.
Are Upside Down Pineapples Going Away?
In addition to wearing upside down pineapples on their clothing or jewelry, some in the swinging community will also place an upside down pineapple on their cabin doors as a signal to other swingers.
The news of the ban organically arose in the comments of another post on Brand Ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page – in which another guest asked for Carnival to add a feature to the HUB App that would allow single cruisers to meet.
One commenter replied that all the single guest really needed to do was put an upside down pineapple on her door to attract a potential love interest – which Heald immediately shot down.
Upside down Pineapple
“Thank you for mentioning that, those are definitely no longer allowed on the ships and they will be removed from any cabin door. Thank you for reminding me to mention that,”Heald said.
It’s unclear when the ban actually went into effect.
While not everyone was happy about Carnival’s ban, no one seemed particularly surprised by it.
First, taking part in swinging can potentially lead to tense – or even dangerous – situations between passengers who have different boundaries and views on what their interaction should look like.
Some commenters also said that they saw pineapples pointed in all different directions – not just upside down – which led to confusion and mixed signals.
But more innocently, those who are unfamiliar with what the upside down pineapple symbol means – as Southerton was – may be able to avoid unwanted or awkward encounters by eliminating the risqué conversation starter.
Online rumors can quickly spread misinformation that can confuse and frustrate cruise passengers, and Carnival Cruise Line is attempting – once more – to clarify its mobility scooter policy and reassure guests.
New rumors have again surfaced about how Carnival Cruise Line is regulating mobility scooters, but with false information that is creating anger among guests who need these assistive devices.
The issue has been brought to John Heald’s attention through his popular Facebook page, where the Brand Ambassador helps with hundreds of guest comments, questions, and concerns nearly every day.
“Yesterday I was reading the [Facebook page]. He had received an email from Carnival saying he couldn’t bring his mobility scooter as Carnival had changed their policy. Only people who had booked a full accessible room could bring a mobility scooter,”the guest explained.
Carnival Cruise Line only offers a few fully accessible staterooms on each ship, but other cabins may have partial accessibility. Of course many staterooms have no explicit accessibility features but may still be perfectly suitable for travelers with limited mobility depending on their exact needs.
“[He] said Carnival was doing this because there were too many mobility scooters. I use one because I am overweight and have arthritis. I need my scooter not just to get around the boat but for trips ashore as I cannot walking especially on uneven or cobbled streets,”the guest continued.
“Is this fact, John? It is causing many of us so much worry. The worry is turning to anger. Is this the truth?”
If Carnival Cruise Line was in fact limiting the number of scooters permitted onboard each vessel, this could cause great stress for travelers, especially for sought-after itineraries that could meet such a limit quickly. Fortunately, this rumor is just that – a rumor.
“NO, it’s not the truth,”Heald said firmly.“You are not the only person who has asked and so before this gets out of hand I felt it best to clarify this is not true. This is yet another example of the stuff and nonsense that is allowed to be posted.”
It should be noted that many social media sites are unregulated and can have a wide range of fan pages, unofficial groups, and other posts that are not verified from any cruise line.
People posting on these pages may claim to have spoken to a crew member, called a cruise line, or otherwise “confirmed” their information, yet they seldom post proof of that verification.
Heald goes on to address the idea of how many mobility scooters are onboard and what is required of guests who use them.
“Yes we do have a lot of mobility scooters and that number is growing for sure,”he said.“We do not ask for any proof as to why you need one, or to inform us that you will be using one, or that you need a full ADA cabin to be allowed to bring one on board.”
When guests do book an accessible cabin, they are required to fill out the Mobility Questionnaire, but this is only to ensure that everyone is aware of scooter policies. The questionnaire also helps to ensure the onboard team is prepared to offer any necessary assistance to every traveler.
“The only thing we ask of mobility scooter users is to remember you cannot store your mobility scooter outside of your cabin door and to please drive responsibly and carefully,”Heald concluded.
Lots of Scooter Confusion
There has been a great deal of confusion about mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs this year as Carnival has been cracking down on oversized devices and inappropriate behavior.
To be clear, the cruise line’s policies have not changed, but enforcement is becoming more strict. Earlier this year, Carnival began sending emails to guests booked in accessible staterooms to ensure they were aware of the size restrictions on scooters and other mobility device policies.
All scooters and electric wheelchairs must be able to fit through cabin doors and be stored out of the way inside the stateroom. Guests are not permitted to “park” their scooters outside in the hallway or in other public spaces.
If a passenger’s scooter is too large, it will not be allowed onboard the ship at embarkation. At that time, guests may need to choose to travel without their scooter or rent a smaller scooter, or they may be denied boarding altogether.
At no time, however, has Carnival Cruise Line outright banned mobility scooters or limited the overall number that may be on an individual cruise. The only limitation is that oversized scooters cannot be accommodated.
Guests are also urged to practice caution when using onboard elevators or driving through public promenades and to ensure they are driving safely for everyone.
Travelers should always check a cruise line’s official website or contact a cruise line if they are unsure of a policy, and not rely on social media for information that may impact their sailing.
The week is beginning with a man overboard-type scare – but not in the way you would think.
In this case, the man didn’t fall or jump off a cruise ship – but rather leaped into the water to try to swim to a cruise ship docked in the Las Palmas Cruise Port in Gran Canaria.
The incident began on the morning of Monday, December 2, 2024, near the Poema del Mar Aquarium – which is located on the opposite side of the port from where the cruise ships dock at the Santa Catalina quay.
Luckily, good Samaritans called for help after seeing the man standing on a pontoon boat looking like he was about to jump.
But by the time police arrived, the man was already in the water and swimming toward the cruise ships. Only MSC Opera and Marella Discovery 2 were docked at the time – but the port can accommodate up to four cruise ships at once.
It’s unclear which vessel the unidentified man was trying to reach, and what he intended to do once he got there.
However, he never did reach his destination thanks to the quick intervention of police officers – although he did make it all the way to a busy section of the harbor between Pesquero and Sanapú.
This was quite dangerous, as in addition to cruise traffic, small ferries, pilot vessels, and Guardia Civil patrol boats are frequently sailing through this area.
First responders borrowed a Zodiac dinghy from a nearby sailboat for the rescue and were able to bring the man onboard without issue.
La Policía Portuaria, con la ayuda de los amarradores, rescató al nadador, que puso en peligro su vida y la seguridad marítima al lanzarse desde el muelle Sanapúhttps://t.co/qg75tmztwx
Once onshore, an ambulance arrived to make sure the man was uninjured, and ultimately transported him to the Doctor Negrín University Hospital for further evaluation.
According to local news outlet Atlantico Hoy, he was admitted to the psychiatric unit after confirming to first responders that his goal had been to swim to one of the cruise ships.
A Happy Ending – But With a Warning
As is usually the case with ports around the world, it is strictly forbidden to swim, bathe, or fish in the Las Palmas Cruise Port – and for good reason. In many places, people who disobey these rules can even be fined or arrested.
At best, the man could have caused a traffic jam in Spain’s third busiest cruise port. At worst, he could have been seriously injured or killed if he had been struck by a boat or cruise ship.
Busy harbors can also be quite polluted due to the presence of greenhouse gasses, such as sulfur dioxide and black carbon, that are released from onboard engines.
Most newer cruise ships have been designed to use greener fuel alternatives, such as plugging into shore power and using LNG-powered engines, as the cruise industry works to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Las Palmas Canary Islands (Photo Credit: Mateescu Mircea Mugur)
However, not every vessel is equipped with these environmentally friendly options just yet.
Swimming in potentially contaminated water could make the man very sick. While he thus far appears physically healthy, staff at the hospital will certainly be keeping an eye out in case he develops any symptoms.
While the situation would have been scary to watch for witnesses, the cruise ships and their guests were likely never in any danger because of the man’s actions.
Even if he had made it to the pier, he would not have been allowed to board either vessel. All guests and crew members have to go through security and must verify their identity before they are allowed to re-embark – which this man would not have been able to do.
If he had tried to force his way onboard or caused a scene, the onboard security teams would have quickly sprung into action to subdue him until local authorities arrived.
MSC Opera can host up to 2,150 passengers per sailing, while Marella Discovery 2 has a maximum capacity of 1,832 guests. It’s unclear how many guests were onboard during the incident – and if they were aware of what was unfolding.
There are some destinations and islands that are nearly synonymous with the cruising industry. Hundreds or even more than a thousand cruise ships can visit places like the Bahamas or the US Virgin Islands each year.
However, these top spots aren’t the only cruise line favorites. Industry-wide, cruise lines have begun crafting their own private destinations, where cruisers can enjoy carefully curated experiences and amenities, matching the cruise line’s branding and overall vibes.
Here are the cruise line private islands and destinations that you need to know about.
Owned by Carnival Corporation and thus visited by two of the corporation’s cruise lines — Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line — Half Moon Cay sits in the Bahamas, with 2,400 acres of space, including a two-mile beach. However, cruise passengers can only visit part of the island, at under 100 acres developed; the rest of the island is undisturbed nature.
When the cruise lines’ took over the island in 1996, it was completely undeveloped, and more than $16 million was invested to bring it up to visitable standards. It opened as a port of call in late 1997.
Of course, changes have been made to keep the private island current with today’s cruising standards. Most recently, Carnival Corp. announced major future renovations for the island, which will include a new pier capable of docking larger ships (currently, you have to tender at the island), an expanded beach, and new restaurants and bars.
For now, though, featured activities include bookable shore excursions that range from snorkeling to kayaking, boat tours to nature treks; dining and drinking at restaurants and bars; spa services; shopping at the market; playing at the waterpark; and just chilling in your cabana or on the beach.
Princess Cays (Carnival Corp)
Princess Cays, Bahamas (Photo Credit: GGAM)
Also owned by Carnival Corporation, Princess Cays is used by both Carnival Cruise Line and Princess Cruises. Princess Cays isn’t really its own island, like Half Moon Cay, though; instead, it’s a private resort area on the island of Eleuthera, in the Bahamas.
Opened in 1992, the resort is 40 acres and features include a beach, dining, drinking and various bookable experiences, such as water sports, stingray encounters and tours.
Most recently, Princess Cays received renovations in 2018, with new additions including WiFi service, refurbished retail and bar areas, shopping and general infrastructure. A new marina was also added, but you still have to tender to the resort.
Perfect Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay (Photo Credit: All About Nature Photo)
Possibly the most well-known and recognizable of the cruise line private islands is Perfect Day at CocoCay. Owned by Royal Caribbean Group and used by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, CocoCay is a 125-acre, small island in the Bahamas, and it’s known for pushing the limits of what a private cruise line port of call can be (in true Royal Caribbean fashion!).
The island features a ton to do and see, including several record-breaking features or industry firsts. There’s the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, the first overwater cabanas in the Bahamas, the biggest wave pool in the Caribbean and the tallest waterslide in North America. Otherwise, there’s plenty of beach space, an adults-only area, bars and restaurants, broader water park, helium balloon rides and more.
The private island is relatively new in the realm of cruise line private islands, reopening in May 2019, so renovations have been minimal. In 2023, the adults-only area was newly added, for example. Ships can dock right at the island, with no need for tendering.
Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian Cruise Line)
NCL’s Great Stirrup Cay (Photo Credit: Nazar Skladanyi)
Also in the Bahamas, the 268-acre Great Stirrup Cay is a Norwegian Cruise Line property, first developed in the 1970s. Since then, the cruise line has upgraded the private island multiple times. In 2017, it added new restaurants and bars and expanded beach areas, as well as villas and a spa.
Most recently, the cruise line announced it would add a two-ship pier, removing the need for tendering. The pier will open in late 2025, if all stays on track.
For now, you’ll still have to tender, but when you do get to the island, you can expect beach-bumming, organized entertainment and beach activities, live music, water sports rentals, a zip line and ropes course, spa treatments, dining, drinking and shopping.
Harvest Caye (Norwegian Cruise Line)
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Harvest Caye (Photo Credit: Christina Calvo)
Norwegian Cruise Line’s other private destination is Harvest Caye, but it’s not in the Bahamas, as all the other islands we’ve covered thus far have been. Instead, you’ll find this 75-acre destination in Belize.
It opened in 2016 and, as of 2023, very vague talks were in the works with the Belizean government to make some changes to the island, but those are rather unsubstantiated.
For now, when you visit, you can expect a pier capable of accommodating cruise ships (so no tendering!), a shopping village, restaurants, bars, a wildlife sanctuary, terrarium, butterfly garden, and, of course, plenty of beach and pools.
Back in the Bahamas, the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, owned by MSC Cruises, is the only private island marine reserve in the Bahamas. It’s technically an artificial island, and is just under 100 acres. Built in the 1960s, the cruise line took it over in 2015, with a $200 million upgrade investment.
Now, the cay offers seven beaches, a handful of food and drinks options, a lighthouse, spa, cabanas, a scuba diving center and an MSC Yacht Club exclusive space.
The island started a small refresh in early 2024, with changes including the addition of a kids lagoon, the expansion of the MSC Yacht Club restaurant, larger bars at the beaches, a new food hall, a new marine conservation center and more. The renovations will continue through early 2025, but ships are still visiting the island.
You may or may not have to tender to Ocean Cay, depending on when you arrive. When the pier is in use by another cruise ship, a second cruise ship will need to tender.
Castaway Cay (Disney Cruise Line)
Disney’s Castaway Cay (Photo Credit: Anthony Giarrusso)
One of two Disney Cruise Line private destinations, Castaway Cay in the Bahamas was purchased by the Walt Disney Company in 1997. It made waves as the first cruise line private island where tendering was not necessary.
The island is about a thousand acres in size, but only around 50 of those acres are in use. Visitors enjoy access to water activities, sporting equipment rentals, spa services, dining, multiple beaches, cabanas and an adults-only space. Of course, Mickey and friends are also present, for all your Disney family photo ops.
Over the years, Castaway Cay has received some upgrades and enhancements, but nothing overly exciting. In 2014, for example, the island added more dining and cabanas. Reports from cruisers visiting the island as recently as late 2024 reported construction to add more cabanas once again.
Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point (Disney Cruise Line)
Aerial View of Lookout Cay
Disney Cruise Line’s newer private destination is Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. It’s not a full island, but is a private space situated on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera.
The area was purchased in 2019 and Disney invested hundreds of millions in developing the peninsula, which measures in at approximately 700 acres (though nearly 200 acres have been designated a national park).
Lookout Cay just opened in mid-2024. It offers a beach separated into family and adults-only areas, bars, buffets, a kid-specific water park/splash area, family entertainment, a cultural center, bicycle rentals, nature trails, cabanas and excursions.
Do note that while you don’t need to tender at this destination, the pier is a half-mile-long, so you’ll have a bit of a hike between the ship and the actual land.
Labadee (Royal Caribbean)
Royal Caribbean’s Labadee Destination in Haiti (Photo Credit: fitzcrittle)
Royal Caribbean Group’s Labadee is billed as a private island, but it’s actually a peninsula that’s part of Haiti. Historically visited by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara, the resort area, opened in 1980s, is a 260-acre property, with a two-berth pier (for no tendering!).
The area is highly guarded, and fenced off so that no locals can access it and no cruisers can leave, other than on the cruise ship. Despite this, there have been instances wherein Royal Caribbean has removed the destination from its itineraries, due to safety concerns.
Renovated in 2009, the area offers several beaches, the largest zip-line over water, an alpine coaster, dining and a flea market.
Some cruise lines don’t purchase an entire private island for their cruisers, or an expansive peninsula jutting out in the Caribbean. Instead, they go a little more low-key, such as with a smaller beach club.
Such is the case with Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Beach Club, which is technically open to the public in the Bimini destination in the Bahamas, but closed off to the public whenever a Virgin Voyages ship is in port. Then, cruisers get exclusive access to the club.
The ship won’t dock specifically at the club; instead, you’ll get off at the normal pier and then have to make your way through the destination to get to the beach club (don’t worry — there’s a tram for that). Think of the experience less like visiting a private island or peninsula and more like visiting a stand-alone resort while you’re in port.
Attractions at the beach club include multiple pools, a bar, restaurant and beach activities. A special area of the club is also set aside for suite guests. Excursions are available, as are cabanas.
The 4.5-acre property opened just a few years ago, under the Virgin Voyages flag, with development announced in 2019.
Upcoming Cruise Line Private Islands and Beach Clubs
Given the popularity of all of the above private islands and beach clubs, it’s no surprise that many cruise lines have even more offerings like these in the works.
Royal Caribbean Beach Club Paradise Island
Render Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
This will be the first Royal Beach Club, taking the approach cruisers have loved at Perfect Day at CocoCay and scaling it down into the beach club setting.
The 17-acre property will be situated on Paradise Island, near Nassau, and will offer beach, pools, cabanas, dining, drinks, shopping and more. The beach club is expected to open in the summer of 2025.
Royal Caribbean Beach Club Cozumel
Royal Beach Club Cozumel in Mexico
Another Royal Caribbean beach club is also in the works, in Cozumel, but you’ll have to wait a little bit longer for it to arrive. It’s slated to open in 2026.
The beach club will offer multiple pools (for both families and adults-only), swim-up bars, beach space, private cabanas, a restaurant and lounge, market and excursions and experiences that range from snorkeling to tequila tastings.
Perfect Day Mexico
Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico
Royal Caribbean is also mimicking its success with Perfect Day at CocoCay, but across the Caribbean, in Mexico. The new Perfect Day Mexico property will open in 2027, near Mahahual. While plans are still pretty vague, they include a waterpark, multiple pools, multiple beaches, restaurants, bars and entertainment.
Celebration Key
Celebration Key, Grand Bahama Island
Lastly, Celebration Key, a Carnival Cruise Line property, is anticipated to open in mid to late-2025. The port will be exclusively open to Carnival Cruise Line guests only (so no sharing with Holland America or Princess Cruises), but will not be a private island. Instead, the port and its surrounding resort will be located on Grand Bahama, near Freeport.
The private space is 340 acres and will offer an expansive number of attractions. There’s a family-friendly area with a lagoon, waterslides, beach cabanas and sports courts. An adult-friendly space will feature cabanas as well, and a swim-up bar and restaurants. A retail area offers duty-free shopping, as well as local vendors.
When it opens, the key will boast the newest largest freshwater lagoon in the Caribbean. Additionally, in total, the key will have more than 30 different venues for dining and drinking.
A medical emergency on Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Jubilee forced the cruise ship to briefly turn back towards Galveston, Texas, late Sunday night, December 1, 2024. Just days later, Carnival Pride also encountered a medical emergency off the coast of North Carolina, requiring Coast Guard intervention.
The first incident occurred hours after the 183,521-gross-ton ship carrying up to 5,400 passengers had departed from Galveston for a 7-night Western Caribbean voyage.
Having departed from its homeport at 4 p.m. on November 30, 2024, passengers noticed on cruise trackers that the ship had reversed its course en route to Cozumel, Mexico, and was heading back to port.
A passenger on board shared that an announcement was made around midnight, alerting guests that Carnival Jubilee was heading back to Galveston for a medical emergency.
The US Coast Guard Heartland later confirmed it coordinated the evacuation of a 64-year-old male experiencing appendicitis-like symptoms.
Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders coordinated with an Air Station Houston air crew to medevac a 64-year old male experiencing appendicitis-like symptoms from a cruise ship near Galveston, Tx. Air Station Corpus Christi also assisted with an HC-144 Ocean Sentry air crew.
“Watchstanders coordinated with an Air Station Houston crew to medevac a 64-year-old male experiencing appendicitis-like symptoms from a cruise ship near Galveston,” the Coast Guard shared.
The operation involved helicopter teams from Air Station House and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft for Air Station Corpus Christi.
By 3 a.m. on December 1, Carnival Jubilee had resumed its original course and is now continuing its planned itinerary, currently with a call in Costa Maya, Mexico, on December 3. The passenger’s condition remains undisclosed.
Another Emergency Aboard Pride
Two days later, at 1:26 a.m. on December 3, 2024, the 88,500-gross-ton Carnival Pride, sailing a 7-night Bahamian cruise from Baltimore, encountered its own medical emergency.
The 2,134-guest ship, which set off from Baltimore on December 1, was sailing off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks when it was forced to turn towards shore due to an undisclosed medical emergency.
The US Coast Guard safely evacuated a male passenger and transported him to a local hospital, where he underwent successful surgery.
“Thank you so much for the Coast Guard getting us off and up to the hospital,”shared the passenger’s wife on social media. “Surgery was needed and was successful. It was our first cruise ever. We didn’t make it too far, but we are definitely coming back.”
She went on to express her appreciation to Carnival Pride’s medical team, saying, “Thank you all greatly for the teamwork and knowledge of the staff and medical team during our medical emergency. The hospital was greatly impressed by the medical team’s response.”
Carnival Pride Sailing (Photo Credit: Ella_Ca / Shutterstock)
Carnival Pride resumed its course following the medevac and is expected to arrive as scheduled in Nassau, Bahamas, on December 4.
The two incidents come on the heels of two other medical evacuations aboard Carnival Corporation-owned ships. On November 29, 2024, the US Coast Guard evacuated a 66-year-old female passenger from Holland America Line’s Koningsdam off the coast of Mexico.
The ship was on her last sea day as it concluded a 7-night Baja Peninsula voyage when the passenger experienced stroke symptoms. She was airlifted and transferred to a hospital in San Diego.
On the same day, and also the last day of a 7-night Mexican Riviera voyage, another guest was airlifted from Carnival Panorama. Prior to the incident, passengers reported that the crew was requesting blood donors.
While the emergencies were certainly not the best way to begin or end a cruise, the swift responses in each case highlight the collaboration between Carnival Corporation ships and the US Coast Guard, not to mention the high level of emergency preparedness found on each cruise ship.
